When we were kids, birthdays were a really big deal. There were balloons, cake, candles, maybe a party hat that didn’t quite fit right, and the magical moment when everyone sang “Happy Birthday” just for you. It felt like the most important day in the world.
Somewhere along the way, though, birthdays started feeling… different. The candles multiplied, the excitement faded a bit, and many of us started saying things like, “Oh, it’s no big deal.”
I realized I had officially reached that stage this year.
When my mom and dad asked what I wanted to do for my birthday, I shrugged and said, “Nothing really. It’s no big deal.”
My dad quickly corrected me.
Now, you have to understand, my dad has had some pretty scary health issues over the last few years. He has learned to look at life a little differently than he once did. So when I brushed off my birthday, he looked at me and said something that stopped me in my tracks:
“It may not be a big deal to you, but every birthday I get to spend with you is a big deal to me.”
Well. That’ll change your perspective in a hurry.
People like to say, “Every day is a gift.” We see it on coffee mugs and inspirational calendars. But if we’re honest, we don’t always live like we believe it.
Birthdays, though? They’re a little reminder that another year has been given to us. Another year to sit around the table with family. Another year to laugh with friends. Another year to enjoy the beauty God has placed all around us. Another year to serve Him.
Maybe we have birthdays all wrong.
Maybe instead of celebrating less as we get older, we should celebrate more. Not because we love getting older, but because we’re grateful for the time we’ve been given.
That’s one of the things I love about our church family. We are an older congregation, and when someone has a birthday, we pause and sing “Happy Birthday.” It’s simple. It’s joyful. And it’s a sweet reminder that life is still being lived and celebrated among us.
Another candle on the cake isn’t just a number. It’s another year of God’s grace.
As the psalmist wrote in Psalm 118:24,
“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
So the next time your birthday rolls around, maybe don’t brush it off so quickly.
Blow out the candles. Eat the cake. Let people sing to you.
After all, another year with the people we love is a pretty big deal.